Monday, May 22, 2006

Capturing Beautiful Pictures

You have probably looked at beautiful photographs in magazines, books, in websites ... or elsewhere so many times and if you were like most people, you thought: "I wish I could take a picture like that!" Well that's not just photographer's instinct, I know. But looking at these pictures didn't really help you to take better pictures.

Why not? Because you didn't know what to look for. You saw a beautiful picture. You felt that it was beautiful picture. But, you couldn't tell why it was beautiful. You couldn't tell what the photographer had done to produce a beautiful image. Perhaps, the magazine, book.. told you the name of the camera, its type and the lens the photographer used, perhaps the aperture and the film that photographer used. Well these are the technical details - but they didn't help you produce better pictures. And it's like knowing the names of the paints and brushes used by Leonardo da Vinchi but it won't help you to produce a painting as beautiful as the Mona Lisa.

The missing ingredient in the process is KNOWING, what to look for. And, perhaps that's the most important thing in capturing beautiful pictures. There are three simple guidelines of what to look for. The skill of seeing the beautiful pictures in the world around you, is what I say "the photographer's eye."

Let's me tell you these three simple guidelines:
  1. A good photograph has a clear subject. (We sometime call this a theme.) It's about someone or something. It may even tell a story about that subject. But the subject is clear and unambiguous. Whoever looks at the picture immediately sees the subject.
  2. A good photograph focuses attention on the subject. In other words, the viewer's eye is immediately drawn to the subject.
  3. A good photograph simplifies. It includes only those elements that draw the eye to the subject, and it excludes or diminishes those elements that might draw the eye away from the subject.
By starting right now to think in terms of these three simple guidelines, you will find yourself looking at published photographs in a new way. More important, you will find yourself seeing the world around you in a new way. Most important, you will find yourself taking pictures in a new way. You will start to see the world through viewfinder with the eye of a photographer!

Now here is one very beautiful picture for you to check above three simple guidelines. ;)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you Jiten for sharing these tips. Its really helpful. I feel same as you mentioned that why did not I took picture like this when I see beautiful but so simple pic taken by professionals. Keep helping us like this. Who knows one day I will be in your place :) Ha Ha

Anonymous said...

Hey Jiten, Your tips on photography is quite helpful. Such posts for people like me who do not have time to go web surfing or magazine hunting is just too useful.

What about the pic that followed ;-)

Anjali

Jitu'cha said...

Dear Surya di and Anjali cha,

It feels great to hear that my photography expertise helped you to be a better photographer. Good ! Enjoy clicking.

Check this to know more about my photography voyage: http://www.geocities.com/jitendra_rajb/self.htm

Thank you for the comments.

srijanablog said...

Jiten dai, ke chha haalkhabar?

I hope to take beautiful photos after your tips. Now I will be posting photos in my blog which I took after reading your tips.Thanks.

Srijana

Jitu'cha said...

Dear Sis, Srijana
I am all great and up to my best. Ani afuno k cha ta? Got a chance to see and read those good times you guys have had via Pradeep's blog. It's so nice.

Needless to tell, I will be much happy to see improvement in your photography skill because you can share tons of pictures which I think will be much informative and joyous to many. Coz, not everyone have privilege to go places and countries that you've been. So, share pictures and make them part of it. Even I do enjoy those pictures immensely which you've posted. May be it's not perfect technically but it's beautifully perfect in value wise. So, grab your camera and shoot pictures of anything, anytime, anywhere you feel like.

You take care,
Jiten dai

kabita Ghimire said...

I am keeping your tips in mind when I take pictures these days. I hope I will be a better photographer

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